Liquid level translating means



June 4 c. R. McCAULEY 2,474,l54

' LIQUID LEVEL TRANSLATING MEANS Filed July 29, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Vl/(l//l/l//l/ ll//lj June 21, 1949. c. R. M cAuLEY 2,474154 LIQUID LEVEL TRANSLATING MEANS I Filed July 20, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet- 4 e "194 5, but is'not restricted n'its us'efilness to such .mechafism; as theinvention iS susceptible of be- 'Ting used in any .mehansm in which' it is'de- 'jjs ird to produceamotion'that. is propo'rtionalto Patented June 21, 1949 2,474454 LIQUID LEVELTRANSLATING M A f- ClalduRMGCMICY New* 0`rlea,ns;"La. Ai p' lieaition July? 20, 1945 SHMENO; 60612 "the changes' ,of1qu`1'level. e i

"I'he' nvention' is adaptdforuse in deepjtanks aboard "ships" .where the'depthmay be 'anywhere 'vertically space@ and arranged to be' suceessfivly eponsve" tojf the changes in {the liquid' e er. throughoutTsubstantlly* the entretldepth'rof" the tank, 'wherebyflthejgquantity' of hquid in'the ta'hk One object o f`"the inventons' to provde'e :flliq-um leveltranslti ng meanthat w'ill cover the entire, depth' of the tank* andwill rel ably produjce 'a moton' of' aj'member* that* v 'v'ill be- `proportio`n`a1 'to' the change 'in hquid -levels 'in a' tank.

-`Anothe'" objectof' the' inventiori 'is 'tor provide` a "zliquid level translatn'g mansfon's isting 'of aiplu- Changes of liquidflevelfin suces sive ranges of =liquc1 level and a means for translating themotion produced by s uceessive fiot'into'motionof a; *member that's proportiohal to the 'change in liquid level. V

-Another objectr'fthe*'invention 'is to'prov:de

` tenk and `::t-'switch'housing'Where' .the rod; penetrates the housing.

Othenobjectsf'the ihventon -wi at once a'pfpear obvious upon. a rea-dingzof' the' spe'cfi'cation j-taken wth the "disclosure t of'the accompanyng :and links.

Riga .2, 3and"4;reeach' sectiohalgviews'taken respectively onI'1ines"2 2,"3- 3, and "4 4, of 1. i v

"Fig."`5 is'a:frontblevatonlviewpartly in sec- "ti on of the ar ange'ment shown .in*Fig.'.1.

"Fig, Sa 'is affrontjvelevational Viewfof the .top

` 5a, .and showing dagmmatically 7 the e hookup betweenthe bontct s e gments andan rdicator. F'gs. '7',' ,8, .nd 9'; are one line dagrams of .the fioatsaandvlinkageillhstrating the success v e positons of theflinkage for Successive operation .of

thefioats. V

Referrng .to .Figs.1 'ahd 2, 'there is" shown a i tankln which therelis provided aa" supporting ..means for a blurll'ty fhpivotally supported fioats ffacesf the bhafnlsl; lghave three sets of bear- 6 and 26: are positiondlnearthe *front edge' of the `web' of the Channels I; l.

Thebearin'gs'2a,2b,:`aid`2c, eachcarry respectvly '-a.frame 'member 5a," 512, 'and 50, which have "journls fittinginthe*"beai'ing'provdingL a fpivotal 'support forthe'fframes'. "To 'one end: of

'the "frames sa, BD, "and 50,' is respectively' cone #nected zrrod 'smib 'and se the"outer"ends*of 'whichhre respecttvly 'conneoted toflots' I sa, Hel -'and me. "The'other ends ofthe frames Sa,

f threatded. 'rod"6-*on 'whi`ch` isiadjustably threaded a counter-Weight 1;-"l'o`t :ked in* an'adjusted position ontherod't "by ag`-lok=nut 8. 'The counter- *Weghts- 'I provide'-a" `means* Whereby 'the Weights 35 of "the' rods"-^9a,%brand *90,* and 'the fioats lucu, |flnb, and 1 me; may be partia llyfbla'nced so that the fioats Will ride in `the"'1qu d 'of' the" tank at *su'c-h height that` thefilaneof the"liquid"sufface will pass through the center of gravity'of the 55 %bottom oof thetank. `-This; ispparticularlydesired in the arrangement of the uppermost and the lowermost floats, so that they may approach as close to the top and bottom of the tank as possible and secure a maximum coverage of the tank depth by fioat movement.

The rods Sa, 9b, and 90, are vertically guided in their movement by a pair of angle bars i l, li, one engaging on each opposite side of the rods. The angle bars Il, Il are welded at their ends to the tank and are braced from th Channels I, l intermediate their ends by suitable vertically spaced braces M, fabricated from angle bars and welded at their ends to the channels l, I and the angle bars H, Il. The horizontal spacing of the angle bars H, H is maintained throughout their vertical lengths by a plurality of sleeve-like members i?! of uniform length fitted snugly between the angle bars and held in place by a machine bolt IS that passes through the angle bars I I, i I and the sleeves !2. The vertical spacing of the sleeves is made such that they act as stop members to limit the range of movement of the rods Sa, 91), and 90. The range of movement of the rod Sa, is an angle of ninety degrees of fortyfive degrees above and below its horizontal position. The rods b, and 96, have a range of movement that is forty-five degrees above the horizontal position of the rods but a range of movement below the horizontal position of the rods that is sonewhat less than forty-five degrees. This smaller range of movement below their horizontal position is made such, so as to position the floats i Ub and lilc horizontally more remote from the Channels I, I while the fioats are in their lower positions. clusive, the position of the fioat lOb When in its lower position, will be in front of the fioat lila when it is in its upper position and the centers of gravity of the two floats will lie in the plane of the liquid surface. fioats !ne when in its lower position will be in front of the fioat lOb when it is in its upper position and the centers of gravity of the fioats will lie in the plane of the liquid surface. As the fioat !Oa reaohes its upper limit of movement, carried thereto by a rising liquid level, the fioat lOb becomes buoyant. A continued rise of liquid level will hold the fioat lila against its upper stop member and will carry the fioat [Gb to its upper limit of movement, where the rod Sb engages a stop member !2 and further upward movement ceases. At the instant the rod 9b engages the stop !2, the fioat becomes buoyant and a further rise in the liquid level Will hold the rod 9b against the stop |2 and will Carry the fioat lOc to -its upper limit of movement. A lowering liquid level will perform the aforesaid operation in reverse.

The vertical Component of the motion of the fioats is imparted by a system of levers and links to a movable brush member |5 to be later described.

As most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5, a rod [6 is pivotally connected at its lower end directly to the frame member Ea at a point I 'I spaced from the bearing Za distance depending on the amount of movement desired. The upper end of the rod IS is pivotally connected to the rear end As will be seen in Figs. 7 to 9 in- Also the position of the of the floating lever !8 at a point !9. The front i end of the lever |8 is pivotally connected at a point 20 to the frame member 52). The distance between the axis of the set of bearings 2b and the axis of the point of connection 20 is equal to the distance between the axis of the set of bear'ngs 2a and the axis'of the point of connecmotion of the rod !6 ceases.

tion ll. A second rod 2| is pivotally connected at its lower end to the fioating lever l8 at a point midway between the points of connection !9 and Elia. The upper end of the rod 2| is pivotally connected to the 'ear of a second floating lever 23 at a point 24, the front end of which is pivotally connected to the frame 5c at a point 25. The distance between the axis of the bearing 2c and the axis of the connection is made the same as the distance between the axis of the hearing Za and the connection ll. The distances need not be the same. All that is required is that the ratio of the distance between the axis of the bearings and the point of connection on the rame to the distance between the axis of the bearing and the center of gravity of the oats be maintained the same for all frames. A third rod 26 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the second fioating lever 23 at a point 21 which is spaced from the point of connection 25 of the floating lever 23 with the frame 5c a distance equal to two-thirds the distance between the connections 24 and 25. The upper end of the rod 26 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a rod 28 at 23. It will be clearly seen in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, that the Vertical motion imparted to the rod 15 by the fioat member illa will be proportional to the ratio of the distance between the axis of the bearing Za and the point of connection ll to the distance between the axis of the bearing Za and the center of gravity of the fioat lila. The vertical motion or" the rod IS is imparted to the rear end of the lever i& which pivots about the connection ZE, and which imparts a motion to the rod Zi in a vertical direction equal to one-half the amount of motion imparted to the rod !6 or equal changes in liquid level. The rod 2I imparts its motion to the rear end of the fioating lever 23 which pivots about its point of connection 25 With the frame Ec to impart a vertical motion to the rods 26 and 28 equal to one-third the motion imparted to the rod Hi by the fioat Ina.

When the liquid level rises to the point to position the fioat lila at its upper limit of motion, the A continued rise in the liquid level will carry the fioat lab towards its upper limit of motion. During the motion of the rod gb, the fioating lever Is pivots about the point of connection !9 and imparts a motion to the rod 2| which Will be equal to the motion imparted thereto While the fioat I Da was moving, that is, for equal changes of liquid level. This motion will result in a motion of the rods 25 and 28 equal to that previously imparted thereto by the fioat !ta for equal changes in liquid level. When the liquid level rises to the point where the rod ab engages the stop member, further movement of the fioat lflb ceases and the motion of the rod 2! ceases. At this instant, the fioat IUc becomes buoyant and is carried towards its upper limit of movement. The motion imparted to the rods 26 and 28 by the motion of the fioat lc will be the same as the motion imparted to these rods by the fioat !Da for equal changes of liquid level. No matter which fioat is Operating the same amount of motion will be imparted to the rod 28 for equal increments of change of liquid level.

In instances where the depth of the tank is great-er than that for which a three fioat arrangement is designed a fourth, fifth, or sixth fioat may be added. Each succeeding fioat Will have a rame member, a floating lever, and links to connect the fioats to the brush member !5 and to impart motion thereto. The point of connection of the bottom ends of the links with the fioating aman a leverswilaberat sa distance 'equals-z respectivelyto `i lsree-fourths, four fifths-and five-sixthsthedisstance betweem the :points ;ofcendconnection- .with the floatng leven from* the; point of :connection `of the fioating alever with the frame memben ..Each time a fioat r is added, the increments `of .movementofithe brush: member, tiisreduced unless .the. ratio uof the distance ,betweenthe `aX-is of ethe hearing and .the ..point of connection with ;the frame member. of .therfioatinglevehto-the.

distance from,the axis`ofv thetbearings to the cent terof ;gravity .of the. floatsis increased. There. is ga distinctadvantage in the reduction of* the.in- 'crements .of movement. of .the brush member 115 ,j for..equal changes of liqud leveLin. that .the overt all' length of .the rowocontact sgnents 31 may be kept within reasonablelimits nomatter what "the depth of n the :tank may be.

Referring to'Figs.-j5.and 6,- the top oflthe wtank is penetrated to form a circular aperturefl l through which a. switch. housing may; projectinto `.the'tank. The edge of the .aperture. is re-inorced 'by an. annlar ring-Bi welded to thetop-sdejf thettanktop. 'The -annular ring'al is provided with 'circumferentially spaced threaded bores ..to receive' threade'd stu'ds 32 having nuts 33.

housinghas a top plate"34 fastenedto thean- "nular"ring3l .by the 'studs'32 andnuts BS-.and 'supportsr'the restiof the 'switch housingin. suspension. The usual gasket may. be interposed between" thep1ate`34 *and the ring 3Lto `form a. gas and liquid ,tight joint. 'The side walls of `the "switch'chamber sds formed by a cylindrical *wall member'*35:we1'ded at its upper endi to e the *urderside of 'the 'plate 134 and having .a circular bottom`^p1ate 'member'"3'o` welded thereto at its flower" end.

i `A'=bel1ows'-housing.-is Secured to the. underside of the switch 'housn'g and consists ofe acylindri- "cal-wall *44'having'a fiange143 welde'd' to itsnpper -end' to providea'means of connection whereby it may'be Secured' to the switch housing. The lower --end-of 'the wall'M is closed by a plate 45 welded thereto to 'form' a gas tight chamber. "I'I'he, plates 3 and 45-"are bored and` threaded' in alignment *to respectively receive sleeve members"42,and-'. 46 of substantiallength 'which encrcle the rodmember 28 and acts as guide' bearing members with 'respechthereto. -Wi`thin the' bellows. housing isa --bellows=member*4`l having "a lower circular-jwall manner. The upper end'otthe bllows member "-4'|=has `'outwardly extending' 'iange adaptedtto be engagednn opposites'des'thereof bvagaket and tobe clamped' between' the fiangef 13 andthe plate' 'ss.

The'purpose of' the be'llows'd'l is, toprovidela 'gas big-ht sea between the tank and the-switchchamber '53. This willrpreventanyexplosive-;gases from 'entering "the ,switch chambeu 53. from the tank and where an electric spark could causean explosion.

"The structure'of the charnber 53 and 54 are such as to withstandthe full explosive force that may be created should gas leak intothe cham- 'ibers a nd an explo'son occun'sothat nottransmitted igniting fiame will enter the tank.

Should the'bellows* become fractured in service and an explosve mixture should leahintothe switch-housing and become ign-ted, thetdisposi tion ofthe'sleeves are such 'that the flame woul d 'be'cooled'down in 'passingbetween themand the *rod zs'sothat no ign'ition could be transmitted along the rod 28. The provision of the bellows to first provide against leakage of a gas mixture into theswitchbhamben s3 andtthessleevstthat -wilc causathe cooliugrofqany fiama'resulting fmin man exzosion provides adoublejprotection-against fir ey in-.the tank. I

The lower end ,of thez bellows housing ;is con- =nected-to the upper endbfla'pipeoarryng a fia ge bolted .to the underside of "the bellows housing. :rhe pipeu -;extends. down into. `'the tank and has a lowenopene end. ..Thepurpoe oi thespipe 14845 'ato: form :attrap for-gasesnthe'ein when the: lower end,` becomes. submer ged in the liqid., to .prevent the iquidlevelv from,-reachinguthe sleeve 46.

` The upper. end of :the rod 2 8 is threaded eto receive a brushmember l.5. The rbtushmember liris. adiustablysecured. to the ,endoftherod by locknuts 55, whereby the:position. ofcthebrush relative to. the, position. ofthe rbd28- 'may ;be adnjusted; The .brushjslidably engages, a rowt .of contact. .segments .131 ,consisting ,of a plurality. of segments or bars having ,n'ca insulation ,therebetween. The rowof contactxsegmentss'land brush [5 constitute a .switching means tor opaeratingv a series of; `lightsl Imounted ini an-indicator .housing ;60. "Theights i E l .areccnn'ctd to the .contact;segmentsli'lcby .means ;of the. cable '562. 'This structureas welLasthecircuitifor operating ,the samejs describedand ,claimed inmy -jcopending applicationerialf No. j 598379, ,filed "June'L'Lf I945.

iThevertical, movementof, thebrushmeans con- .ttutes 'an indcation .of .theli quidlevel within the .tank. 'The row of ;contact .segments constitutes' a p artof thecmeans,'for.,transmitting`..the

indicationto a remote point. 5 I Having describedmy invention andthemode of operation thereof, what I``,desite, to ,secureby Letters' Patentis set'forth in the -following claimsz 1." In a.liq1id4 leveltranslating imeans, a plurality of.vertica11y,paced pivotallmmounted fioat meanscarried. by.a support and.- sucoessivelynpterable in response ,tor changesn'ndiquid level a ?first floatinglever pivotally connected atehe .end "to 'thesecond .vertically paced `float means, ..means connectng i the ,othew end ,ofsaid fioating 1 levehto the lowerifioatmeanm a: second floatng `1ever pivotallycconnected at\ one. end. to a third jvei'ticallmspacedfloat means, means connecting `the other end ofisaid second; oatinglevento the midpoint, of the first floating lever, i means, :mov-

member On acted t th d 23 t ht ablein; responsetoliquid level, andmeansconi c -n o e'ro 'n a:'gas l necting said ..last named means to :said: 'second floatinglevercat a point spaced from thenpivotal i connection jof said, floating. lever ,with ;the ;third vertically. spaced fioat. meansa distance equal to two thids 'the distance ,between the pivotaLconnection of, said secondloating lever with the oat i means and; the pointof connection of' themeans 'con'neting the :other: end of said floating leveruto ?the first. fioatmg leven wherebyssuccessive :operati'onsgof ...the floatljmeans willimpart ,equal ;Jm-

crements of: movements.'fon.equaLchan s -ofs:liq- `uid level ,throughout substantial ly the entire change of .-depth to thegrmeans -movable ing-atespcrse to. liQuid: level.

2. aIni a liquidwleve1translating means; a ;pl v ralty r of --vertica11y paced pivotaHy 'mounted ofioatnmeans carried i, by supDort, a counter- .vvight ;connected to each :of ::said -oat 'smeans for partally balancing the weight Oz-Sad'fiGat means; a first fioabin ;devernpivotaly (connected rlat. one ;endc to the; eecdndrvertcally spaced fioat means means,-conn'ecti-ng ;thebther end of said fioating leverntozthedowen floatnm %second fioatin lever pivotally connected at one end to a third vertically spaced fioat means, means connecting the other end of said second floating lever to the midpoint of the first fioating lever, means movable in response to liquid level, and means connectng said last named means to said second floating lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of said fioating lever with the third vertically spaced float means a distance equal to two-thirds the distance between the pivotal connection of said second floating lever with the fioat means and the point of connection of the means connectng the other end of said fioating lever to the first fioating lever, whereby successive Operations of the fioat means will impart equal increments of movement for equal changes of liquid level to the means movable in response to changes of liquid level.

3. In a liquid level translating means, a switch housing, a switch means movably mounted within said switch housing, a plurality of pivotally mounted vertically spaced float means on a support and responsive successively to changes in liquid level, a first floating lever pivotally connected at one end to the second vertically spaced fioat means, means pivotally connecting the other end of said floating lever to the first float means, a second floating lever pivotally connected at one end to the third vertically spaced float means, means connecting the other end of said second fioating lever to the midpoint of said first fioating lever, a rod extending into said switch housing and connected at its upper end to said switch means, means connectin said rod to said second fioating lever at a point spaced from the pivotal connection of said second floating lever with the third vertically spaced fioat means a distance equal to tWo-thirds the distance between the pivotal connection and the point of connection at the opposite end of said fioating lever, a sealing' means encircling said rod connected at its lower end to said rod'and at its upper end to said switch housing in a gas tight manner to prevent leakage of gas into said switch housing and means providing a housing for said scaling means.

4. A liquid level translating means comprising, a plurality of frame members pivotally mounted and vertically spaced on a support, a float means connected to one end of each of said frames, a counter-Weight adjustably connected to the other end of each of said frames, a floating lever pivotally connected at one end to the float end of each of said frame members except the lowermost frame member, a link means conecting the fioat end of the lower frame member to' the other end of the first vertically spaced floating lever, other link means connected at their upper ends to the other ends of the other floating levers and at their lower ends to the next lower floating lever at a point intermediate the ends thereof, the point of connection of each link means with the next lower floating lever being spaced from the point of connection of said fioating lever with the frame member a distance determined by the ratio of the vertical number of the floating lever to the vertical number of the frame member multiplied by the distance between the end connections of the floating lever and means connected to the upper end of the uppermost link means and movable in response to a change of liquid level.

5. In a level measuring device of the type described for measuring a liquid level in a tank containing liquid, the combination of a plurality of fioat and linkage systems mounted at different levels in the tank, each system comprising a substantially axially movable member and a fioat controlled by the liquid level to be detected and operatively connected to the member for axial displacement thereof corresponding to a movement of the respective oat, each of said floats being mounted and positioned to respond to liquid level changes within a predetermined range, and linkage means mechanically interconnecting said members for transmitting axial displacement of a member to the member orming part of the float and linkage system mounted at the next succeeding higher level in the tank; and an indicating system operatively coupled with the member of the fioat and linkage system mounted at the highest level and constructed to be controlled by the total movement of all the float and linkage systems, thereby indicating the liquid level in the tank through the entire depth thereof.

6. In a level measuring device of the type described for measuring a liquid level in a tank containing liquid, the combination of a plurality of fioat and linkage systems mounted at different levels in the tank, one substantially above the other, each system comprising a rod mounted for substantial axial movement, a oat controlled by the liquid level to be detected and operatively connected to the rod for axial displacement thereof corresponding to a movement of the respective float, each of said oats being mounted and positioned to respond to liquid level changes, a stopping means arresting each of said floats in fixed end positions for limiting movement of each float to a predetermined range of liquid level changes, and linkage means mechanically interconnecting said rods for transmitting axial displacement of a rod to the rod forming part of the fioat and linkage system mounted at the next succeeding higher level in the tank; and an indicating system operatively coupled with the rod of the float and linkage system mounted at the highest level and construct'ed to be controlled by the total movement of all the fioat and linkage systems, thereby indicatng the liquid level in the tank throughout the entire depth thereof.

7. In a liquid level translating means, means responsive to change in liquid level, a plurality of vertically spaced fioat means carried by a support and successively operable by changes in liquid level, a fioating lever pivoted at one end to an intermediate fioat means, means connecting the other end of said floating lever to a lower float means, a second fioat'ng lever pivoted at one end to a higher fioat means, means connecting the other end of said second floating lever to and intermediate the ends of the first floating lever, and means connecting the second fioating lever to the 1means movable in response to a change of liquid evel.

CLAUDIUS R. MCCAULEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following referen ce s are file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN'I'S of record in the 

